Strictly Speaking, Chocolate and Love are the Same
by Vongchild
Summary: Full title inside. Some valentines day inspired interspecies fluff. JNY post NJO AU inwhich Nen Yim scientifically proves that chocolate and love are the same thing. One shot


The usual Shpeel. Vongy owns nothing, all characters are property of George Lucas and friends, etc etc etc. Strictly Speaking, Chocolate and Love are the Exact Same Thing 

"Valentines day?" Nen Yim asked, shooting Jacen a skeptic glance. "What's that? What are those strange red shapes in all the shop windows?"

"It's a celebration of love," Jacen replied. "And those are hearts."

"Those… blobs resemble in no way the primary pulmonary organ in any shape or form," Nen Yim replied. "Who decided they represent love?"

Jacen shrugged.

"Besides, love is merely a swift rush of hormones to the brain, triggered by feelings of infatuation and sexual attraction," she continued.

"Is that what love is?" Jacen asked, raising an eyebrow in her general direction. Nen Yim nodded.

Pulling her misbehaving scarf away from her mouth, she added, "Any first year shaping student can trigger a similar feeling of euphoria with basic chemical formulas."

"Yes, but then it's not real," Jacen replied thoughtfully. With a growl of frustration, Nen ripped her scarf away from her neck and stomped on it a few times after it made a vague attempt to strangle her.

"I already went over this once, Jacen, Love's not real. It's a combination of chemical signals and nervous impulses and—" She reflexively shivered, "It's absolutely frigid out here."

Jacen motioned grandly for the shop door. "After you," he said.

"I am not going in there. It would be endorsing a holiday invented purely for the monetary gain of the manufacturers of sugary sweets."

"So now it's about the chocolate?" Jacen asked. Nen Yim shot him a glare.

"Chocolate causes the digestive systems of most carbon based life forms to release endorphins, which give one the same natural high as 'being in love,'" she stated matter-of-factly. Jacen rolled his eyes as she concluded, "So yes. If love is equal to chocolate, and the holiday is about love, then the holiday is about chocolate."

"If you don't mind," he informed her, "My eyelashes are freezing."

"All right. Fine. I'll go into the store."

Jacen grinned wildly as he held the door open for her.

3

Once inside, Nen Yim was momentarily blinded by the color red in every imaginable color from pale pinks to dark maroons. And the hearts-but-not hearts that covered every available surface or floating lazily near the ceiling. To her left, Jacen was up to his elbows pawing through a bin of greeting cards. Finally, seeming to find one he liked, he withdrew his hands and handed it to her.

Holding it at arms length, even though it seemed like a very tame greeting card, Nen Yim examined it. There was a caricature of a law enforcement officer in a pink uniform printed on the front. Upon flipping it open she was greeted by the statement, "You have stolen my heart. I demand you return it or I shall have you tried for grand theft."

Eying Jacen suspiciously, she commented, "How…quaint."

"Do you like it?" Jacen asked, a little too eagerly for Nen Yim's liking.

"I don't think that part of your job as my parole officer is to flirt with me, Jeedai Solo," Nen Yim replied.

"Ah. Yes," Jacen murmured. "Because, after all, love means nothing. And love means chocolate. So, oh wise one, does chocolate mean nothing? Have I figured out another facet of your theory of reality?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Jeedai," she retorted, tossing the card back into the bin. She turned to walk back outside but Jacen caught hold of her wrist.

"Hey, what's with this ice princess act?"

Nen Yim met his glance. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said flatly.

"This whole 'love isn't real' act," Jacen elaborated. "What's up with it?"

"I stopped believing in love years ago. During my Shaper training."

Jacen gently nudged her back into the store and down an aisle.

"Want to give it another chance?" he asked.

"I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to say," Nen Yim replied, studying his face and coming to the conclusion that he was handsome… for a human.

"Nen Yim, will you be my valentine?"

** 3**


End file.
